Pull-knob for lighting-chains.



G. A. KING.- PULL KNOBTOR LIGHTING GHAINS.

APPLICATION FILED FEBJ, 1911.

992,001. Patented May 9,1911.

UNITED srnqns PATENT OFFICE. r

GEORGE A. KING, WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT,

assrsuon ro soovILL MANumc- TUBING COMPANY, OF -WAT'ERBURY, CONNECTICUT,A CORPORATION OF i (1011- PULL-KNOB FOR LIGHTING-CHAINS.

Application filed February 7, 1911. Serial No. 607,197.

certain new and useful Improvement in Pull-Knobs for Lighting-Chains, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact dean easily applied anddetachable pull knob scription;

' The object of this invention is to provide for chains attached toelectric and other lighting fixtures to operate the lighting devices,so'that the workmen installing the fixture may readily cut the chain toany desired length, and apply the knob by hand or with simple pliers,

.Although the invention is designed primarily. for use out-he chainscommonly employed on pull sockets for electric lights, the

Invention is not thereby limited. The invention consists of a knob forchains, made substantially as a hollow globe,

having an opening in it surrounded by spring fingers having reentranttips, these fingers being produced by slitting the metal of the globeradially, all as I will proceed now more particularly to set forth andfinally claim,

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, in the severalfigures of which.like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is anelevation showing the invention applied to an electric light pull socketof conventional forml Fig. 2 is a top plan viewof the knob detached.Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken substai'itially in the plane ofline A B, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a transverse section similar to Fig; 3 witha portion of the chain in place; the last three figures being on alarger scale.

Confining the description to the illustration in the drawing, butwithout thereby limiting the invention, 1 is a pull socket for electriclights, of any ordinary construction,

and 2 is a chain composed of a series of balls and connecting links 1nusual form and such as commonly employed in connection with suchlighting fixtures.

These cha ns are ordinaril supplied with a knobmade from two she s.Before applying to the chain, the hole inthe knob 15 large enough toallow the chain to enter freely, and after. inserting the chain, the

" done in the factory where-the 1i metal of-the knob is closed aroundthe ball Patented May 9, 1911. p

of the chain by means of a press operation.

This makes it advisable to "have this work is manufactured. However, itfrequently 1s necessary, or desirable to apply chains of differentlengths to diflerent fixtures and while with the previous method thechain ghting fixture can be shortened by cutting it off at the other endfrom that to which the knob is fastened, yet when a longer chain isdesired the workman in installing the fixture is not able to close theknob on the chain in a satisfactory and workmanlike manner owing to thenecessityof it' beingdone by means of tools."

My invention is designed to meet these exigencies, and it consists of aknob or 1101- low globe-like structure 3, having a central. opening asat 4. The knob is shttcd, as at 5,

to form a series of fingers (3, laving the re entrant tips 7 surroundingthe opening or hole 4. Thehole with its reentrant'or inturned fingertips is slightly smaller than the ball 8 of the chain, so that inforcing said ball through the opening and past these linger tips intothe hollow knob, the fingers yield laterally and then by theirresilience, after the chain ball has passcd'into the knob, return andagain contract the knob and prevent the escape of the chain in ordinaryuse. The knob, however, may be detached from the chain by a hard pulldesigned to separate them; but the better practice is to cut. the chainclose to the knob and let the last ball of the chain drop into theinterior of the knob. The new chain then may be readily inserted in theknob and .can be made of any desired length.

By the construction described,- a very simple and easily appliedpull'knob for chains is provided.

What I claim is 1. A pull knob, consisting essentially of a hollowglobe-like sheet metal structure provided with anopening therein, andslittcd radially around said opening to form re silient fingers, thetips of said' fingers being bent back within the knob and surroundingthe opening-so as to] engage and hold an article inserted in said knoband retain it against accidental escape. Y

2. A sheet metal pull knob for chain s, pro vided with an opening, andspring fingers integral with the knob and havmg reentrant tips withinthe knob surrounding said opening, combined with a chain'having a linkadapted to distendthe opening and pass into the knob and allow thefingers to close 5 in around the o enin and their tips to spring inbehind tie lin within the knob.

-In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hendthis-sixth day ofFebruary I 1911. v

'- GEO. A. KING.

' Witnesses E. WITHEY, E. S. SANDERSON.

